Calls for safety upgrades to Macedon's Black Forest Drive

Cycling groups are calling for safety upgrades to Macedon’s Black Forest Drive where a cyclist was fatally injured earlier this month.

But they say improving safety also needs to involve drivers.

A man died in hospital after being hit by a car while riding along Black Forest Drive on Sunday, December 10.

Three cyclists were also struck from behind on the same stretch of road in June, leaving one man with life-threatening injuries.

Australia’s largest bike riding organisation Bicycle Network has called the recent tragedy “foreseeable”, saying it was inevitable people would be killed or seriously injured as a result of bike lanes being removed from the road in 2010.

According to the network, the TAC and VicRoads reduced the former four-lane highway to a two-lane road with a wide bike facility in 2010 to improve Black Forest Drive’s “frightening safety record”.

But the bike lanes were removed months later after “a highly political campaign” by locals.

Bike Safe Macedon Ranges secretary Blair Calvert said bike lanes “absolutely” needed to be returned to the road, but drivers also needed to pay better attention.

“We can campaign, but if people aren’t paying attention when they’re driving it won’t do anything,” Mr Calvert said.

“We’ll try not to use that road, but there should be no reason for an incident – there’s plenty of room.”